I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
by Mall Rat Matt
Summary: One-shot Trudy/Jack pairing. As the Mallrats prepare to celebrate Christmas, Trudy finds Jack's festive spirit infectious. Written for the Tribe Talk Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2007.


Original challenge:

Username: JustAnnie  
Characters: Jack, Trudy, Brady (and anyone else you want)  
Pairing: Jack/Trudy  
Props: Santa hat, christmas tree, book  
Words/ Sentences: "I love you", "I don't believe in Santa"  
Set: Tribeworld

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It was early in the afternoon but already all the lights were on in the mall. The city was in the grip of a winter the likes of which hadn't been seen since before the Virus; the days were dark and miserable and it had even started snowing a couple of days ago. The little ones of course thought this was fantastic and started building snowmen on the roof but the older members of the tribe, although at first delighted by the snow, soon began to fear they would be trapped in the mall and that the traders would be unable to bring food into the city. The general mood was one of depression.

In her room Trudy shivered with the cold and pulled the blanket she had around her for warmth tighter. She was listening to Brady reading from a book, one of a set that Jack had managed to find somewhere in the mall. She was amazed at how quickly her daughter had grown up; sometimes it seemed like only yesterday that she and Bray had arrived here, other times it felt like she had been here forever.

'Mommy?' Brady asked, screwing up her face in confusion. 'What's Christmas?' She pronounced the new word she had read with difficulty and Trudy smiled. How long had it been since last Christmas?

'Christmas means different things to different people,' she explained. 'But usually it involves people coming together with friends and family for a big celebration, and giving them gifts to show that you love them.'

'I love you Mommy!' Brady said.

'Aww, I love you too sweetie,' Trudy replied.

'Why don't we ever have Christmas?'

'I don't know, Brady, I guess we just never seem to have the time. Maybe we should.' Brady laughed and started jumping around on the bed in excitement. 'Why don't we go ask Amber?'

Amber had been sceptical at first of course, but it hadn't taken much to win her over to the idea. All the older members of the tribe were excited about having Christmas again – even Lex was enthusiastic, although he tried to pretend he didn't care – and the younger ones were curious but looking forward to a party. The mood in the mall lightened overnight – it was just what the tribe needed.

The person most caught up in the festive mood was Jack. He had thrown himself into the preparations wholeheartedly, rummaging through the mall to find anything that could be used as decorations. He even managed to find some old Christmas CDs and a Santa hat, which he now wore all the time even though it was too big for him. His Christmas spirit was infectious and Trudy started to find reasons to be in the same room as him, taking Brady with her so they could both enjoy watching him in his childlike merriment, but more and more often she found herself going to see him alone.

It was on one of these occasions that it happened.

She had planned it so she was in the café on Christmas Eve when Jack came in to decorate the Christmas tree – where he had got it from she didn't know but he had come back with it having been out most of the previous day. The rest of the tribe were busy finding presents for each other so it was just the two of them, not that there was anything wrong with that. After all, they were just friends. She smiled as he hummed carols to himself, tying pieces of string to various shiny metal things scavenged from his workshop and hanging them from the branches, and draping some of Gel's feather boas around to act as tinsel. It was the strangest Christmas tree she had ever seen but it was wonderful. She laughed in delight.

'You could help you know,' he joked, twisting around on the small stepladder to look at her. He kept having to push his Santa hat up above his eyes so that he could see her.

'But you're doing such a good job by yourself!' she replied, smiling at him. He quickly blushed and turned back to the tree; she also felt her cheeks colouring and looked at the floor. When she looked back up Jack was balancing on top of the ladder trying to perch a broken doll on the top of the tree for an angel. As he stretched to his full extent his hat once again fell over his eyes and he lost his balance. 'Jack!' she cried, putting aside her mug of coffee and rushing over to his aid.

'I'm ok,' he said confidently before the stepladder fell from underneath him with a clatter and he was left dangling from the top of the tree.

'Hold still!' she cried, trying to grab hold of his flailing legs but to no avail. As the tree fell under his weight he managed to jump off into Trudy's arms and the pair stumbled and fell on the floor. The crash of the tree and its metal ornaments next to them brought the rest of the Mallrats rushing in to investigate.

'Jack,' Trudy said breathlessly as he lay on top of her.

'What is it?' he asked, looking into her eyes.

'You're squashing me.'

Startled, Jack quickly got up and held out his hand for her to do the same, while the rest of the tribe fussed around them and inspected the damage. The image of his face so close to hers remained ingrained in her mind. That and the suspicious look Ellie had shot her afterwards, and the resulting feeling of guilt, made her realise what had happened; she had fallen for Jack, and she was pretty sure he had feelings for her too.

Later that afternoon he came to her room.

'Trudy,' he said as he entered. 'I came to…' he trailed off.

'Yes Jack?' she said softly, her heartbeat quickening.

'I came to…to see Brady,' he finished in a rush. 'I wanted to see what she was asking Santa for,' he said.

'I don't believe in Santa,' Brady stated confidently. She had gone round asking everybody about Christmas and now considered herself an expert on the subject.

'You don't believe in Santa?' Jack asked, feigning shock. 'Well I do, and I'm writing a list of what everybody wants so he knows what to bring tonight. You don't want to get something you don't want do you?'

No longer so sure of herself Brady answered, 'A doll please,' then quickly added, 'But I still don't believe in Santa!' Trudy laughed.

'Alright then,' Jack said. 'I'll go and finish my letter to Santa. Bye Brady. Bye Trudy.' He gave her a last lingering look before he left.

'Bye Jack,' she said sadly.

That night Trudy was lying in her bed, unable to sleep for thoughts of Jack, when she heard a shuffling noise from outside her room. 'Who's there?' she asked softly so as not to wake Brady. The noise stopped and she lay her head back down on her pillow, then a short while later somebody came in. It was Santa, or rather someone dressed as Santa. He looked at her for a few moments, then put a present by Brady's bed and made as if to leave.

'Wait!' she said, diving out of bed to intercept Santa, although even before he turned round and she saw his eyes she knew it had to be Jack.

'Trudy,' he said. 'I'm sorry if I startled you. It's just that…I had to see you again. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you all day. I thought if I could tell you while you were sleeping it would be easier, but I couldn't.'

'I feel the same way Jack,' she said. 'I don't know how it happened but I do.'

'But…what about Ellie? I can't…'

'I'm not asking you to leave Ellie,' she said. 'Just kiss me. Please, just once.'

Jack's mouth flashed in a brief, nervous smile and he gave the barest of nods before pulling down his beard. When their lips touched, both of them knew that it would not be for the last time.

From her bed Brady smiled as her mommy and Santa kissed. He must be real after all, she thought. How else could he have known that what she really wanted for Christmas was a daddy?


End file.
